LATEST NEWS   PM Anwar, Turkmenistan President Serdar Berdimuhamedov witnessed the signing of a strategic cooperation agreement between Petronas and Turkmenistan authorities-- PMO | At 6 pm, the ringgit eased to 4.1340/1395 versus the US dollar from Thursday's close of 4.1145/1195 | The collaboration opens up space for more strategic engagements in future, including exploring the great potential of Turkmenistan's natural gas sector, which has among the world's largest gas reserves - PMO | Gabungan Kelab Media Malaysia (GKMM) state affiliates receive RM10,000, GKMM receive RM30,000 from Communications Ministry - Fahmi | The achievement comes as Malaysia and Turkmenistan mark 30 years of cooperation in the energy sector, which has been a key pillar of bilateral relations between the two countries -- PMO | 

RHB Investment Sees Strong Malaysia Export Outlook In 2026 On E&E Demand

KUALA LUMPUR, June 19 (Bernama) -- RHB Investment Bank Bhd remains positive on Malaysia's export prospects for 2026, citing resilient external demand and sustained momentum in the electrical and electronics (E&E) sector, driven by the technology upcycle and artificial intelligence (AI)-related investments.

In a research note today, the investment bank said that following the stronger-than-expected export performance in recent months, it sees scope for further upside to its current in-house export growth forecast of 15.3 per cent for 2026.

“This optimism is reinforced by the continued resilience of Malaysia’s trade performance, with exports expanding by 24.3 per cent during the first five months of the year despite lingering geopolitical uncertainties,” it said. 

Looking ahead, RHB Investment said the external outlook will continue to be influenced by developments in the United States tariff policies and geopolitical conditions, which may affect global demand and trade flows.

“Nonetheless, Malaysia remains well-positioned to weather external challenges, supported by its diversified economic structure, deep integration into regional and global supply chains, and ongoing efforts to diversify export markets and broaden its product offerings.

“Collectively, these factors should help sustain export growth and strengthen the economy’s resilience against external headwinds,” it added. 

RHB Investment also said Malaysia’s exports in May accelerated by 45.3 per cent year-on-year (y-o-y), significantly surpassing the market consensus estimate of 29.7 per cent y-o-y and our in-house projection of 16.1 per cent y-o-y. 

Today, the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) said Malaysia’s total trade in May 2026 rose by 29.8 per cent y-o-y to RM327.6 billion from RM252.5 billion a year ago, driven by stronger growth in both exports and imports.

It said Malaysia’s exports grew 45.3 per cent, valued at RM184.0 billion, and imports rose 14.1 per cent, amounting to RM143.6 billion, while trade surplus surged by 5,214.0 per cent to RM40.4 billion in the month reviewed.

-- BERNAMA